The Opening Ceremony
As they walked through the academy corridor, they sensed the commotion outside and finally waited for the emcee to call Shrek to enter.
"Now entering is Shrek Academy!" the emcee announced.
Dugu Yan and Xiao Wu held Tang San's hands even tighter, as if afraid he would run away.
Tang San was both amused and exasperated, sandwiched between two girls, one on each side, as he slowly walked towards the exit.
Tang San took a deep breath, adjusted his expression, and stepped out of the passage.
The light poured down from above, making him squint slightly.
The eyes of 80,000 people focused on him simultaneously, all landing on him.
As the Shrek team emerged from the passage, all eyes turned to them.
Seeing Tang San with a beautiful woman on one arm, the audience began to whisper among themselves.
"Who's that guy? Why are two beautiful women clinging to him? And there's another one next to him."
"Shrek Academy? Never heard of them. But those three girls are really pretty."
"I want that kind of treatment too, surrounded by beautiful women, the pinnacle of life!"
"Come on, you'd better have the ability first."
Moreover, some sharp-eyed viewers with good memories immediately recognized Tang San as "Cyberpunk," a star Soul Master who was once a household name in Heaven Dou City.
Immediately, a lively discussion broke out in the audience.
Xue Qinghe, who was on the VIP platform, was stunned for a long time upon seeing this scene.
Those golden eyes widened suddenly, their lips parted slightly, and their hands, which were about to clap, froze in mid-air.
There were three girls walking with Tang San, and they were behaving intimately, clearly in a romantic relationship.
A strange pang of jealousy rose in Xue Qinghe's heart, and a hint of resentment flashed in his eyes. He felt as if he had lost one of his most precious treasures.
There was disappointment, resentment, and an indescribable bitterness in his eyes.
How come he already has so many girls around him? And they're all so beautiful.
Then what am I? Am I just a brother?
After a long while, Xue Qinghe tried to calm himself down. He took a deep breath and suppressed the bitterness in his heart.
She leaned forward slightly and whispered a few words in the Xue Ye's ear, presumably introducing Tang San as a brother he had befriended.
Xue Ye nodded, looked at the Soul Fighting Platform, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
Meanwhile, in the academy's rest area, within the Skywater Academy, a commotion also broke out.
The moment Tang San stepped out of the passage, a girl with a ponytail gasped in surprise, covering her mouth.
"It's him! It's that boy who defeated three rogue Soul Masters with Blue Silver Grass in the small town on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest!"
"It's true! He's even more handsome and has more charisma than he did a few years ago!"
"His clothes are so nice, silver-white, they go so well with my light blue."
"Come on, she already has three around her, didn't you see?"
The female students of the Skywater Academy quickly recognized Tang San.
Shui Bing'er also showed a surprised expression. Her icy blue eyes locked onto Tang San the moment he stepped out of the passage.
Her gaze shifted from Tang San's face to the three girls beside him.
She had seen Xiao Wu before; she was the rabbit-eared girl who was with Tang San back then.
Another stunningly beautiful woman with short purple hair, whom I didn't recognize, had a noble air and a hot figure. She was holding Tang San's arm, acting as if she were his. There was also a cool and aloof beauty with long blue hair.
A complex mix of emotions welled up in Shui Bing'er's heart: surprise, admiration, and a bittersweet feeling that she couldn't quite put her finger on.
He already has several girls in his life, and each of them is so outstanding.
Shui Bing'er Shui Yue'er, standing beside Shui Bing'er, noticed her sister's unusual expression and a mischievous smile appeared on her lips.
She nudged Shui Bing'er with her elbow and whispered, "See? I told you so. If you like someone, go for it. Look, he's got two more beauties with him, and they're so elegant. If you don't hurry, you'll miss out on even the best."
Shui Bing'er rolled her eyes at Shui Yue'er, her icy blue eyes filled with helplessness and shyness.
She didn't reply, but just stared blankly into space, her gaze fixed on Tang San, lost in thought.
Looking at her sister, Shui Yue'er sighed, "Sister, you're just too reserved. Look at those girls, how proactive they are. If you like someone, go after them! At the very least, you can make friends. It's better than just watching from here."
Shui Bing'er turned her head and glared at Shui Yue'er: "Stop talking."
Shui Yue'er shrugged and shut her mouth, but she couldn't suppress the smile on her lips.
Shui Bing'er looked back at the Soul Fighting Platform.
Tang San had already reached the designated position. Behind him, the Shrek Academy team members stood in a row, each with their heads held high.
A moment later, the emcee on one side of the VIP platform announced in a loud voice, "Now, please welcome His Majesty the Emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire to declare the opening of this competition."
Xue Ye rose to his feet, his steady voice resounding throughout the arena, "I, Xue Ye, Emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire, on behalf of the Heaven Dou Empire and the organizers of this competition, hereby declare the Pan-Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Competition open."
Then he started rambling on and on in official jargon.
Then came Ning Fengzhi's speech, which consisted of polite and encouraging official remarks.
Finally, Salas, the Platinum Bishop of the Spirit Hall, conducted the draw for the first round of the Qualifying Tournament.
After the draw, the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Second Team will play against their opponents drawn in the first round. This will be the only opening match of the day.
After a series of flashy maneuvers by Salas, the results of the first round of the draw were in.
The draw results were as expected; the Shrek Team still faced the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Second Team in the first round.
The Shrek Team and their teacher were also extremely excited at this moment.
Tang San smiled slightly upon seeing the result.
The Heaven Dou Royal Academy Second Team doesn't even have a single Soul Ancestor, and their strength is inferior to that of ordinary academies. The Shrek Team could easily win with just a few of their players.
"Alright, the first match of the first round of the Qualifying Tournament will now be between the Heaven Dou Royal Academy and Shrek Academy."
The emcee's voice echoed through the Soul Fighting Arena, "All participating academies, please leave. The two academies scheduled to compete later, please prepare yourselves. The competition will officially begin in half an hour."
Other colleges did not have any matches today, and under the guidance of staff, they retreated from the competition venue to the stands specially prepared for the athletes.
Shui Bing'er walked at the very back of the Skywater Academy team, her gaze lingering for a moment in the direction of Shrek before turning away and following her teammates onto the stands.
The Shrek team also arrived at the rest area specially prepared for the competitors.
Everyone formed a semicircle, with Qin Ming standing in the middle. He said casually, "I know the strength of the Heaven Dou Second Team very well; they pose virtually no challenge. Xiao San, you arrange the lineup."
Tang San didn't stand on ceremony and nodded.
"Today is the most anticipated match," Tang San stated clearly. "We need to create a stunning effect on the entire audience. I suggest we field our strongest lineup. We must defeat our opponents as quickly as possible and make everyone fear our strength."